Short Message Service Messages Research Articles

Community health workers and mHealth systems for hearing screening in rural Nicaraguan schoolchildren.

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using minimally trained community health workers (CHW) to screen schoolchildren in rural Nicaragua for hearing loss using a tablet-based audiometric system integrated with asynchronous telehealth evaluations and mobile health (mHealth) appointment reminders.MethodsA population-based survey was conducted using community health workers (CHWs) to perform tablet-based audiometry, asynchronous telehealth evaluations, and mHealth reminders to screen 3398 school children (7-9 years of age) in 92 rural Nicaraguan communities. The accuracy of screening, test duration, testing efficiency, telehealth data validity, and compliance with recommended clinic visits were analyzed.ResultsMinimally trained CHWs successfully screened children within remote rural schools with automated audiometry (test duration = 5.8 minutes) followed by manual audiometry if needed (test duration = 4.3 minutes) with an estimated manual audiometry validity of 98.5% based on a review of convergence patterns. For children who were referred based on audiometry, the otoscopy and tympanometry obtained during telehealth evaluations were high quality (as reviewed by 3 experts) in 44.6% and 80.1% of ears, respectively. A combination of automated short message service (SMS) text messages and voice reminders resulted in a follow-up compliance of 75.2%. No families responded to SMS messages alone.ConclusionsTablet-based hearing screening administered by minimally trained CHWs is feasible and effective in low- and middle-income countries. Manual audiometry was as efficient as automated audiometry in this setting. The physical exam tasks of otoscopy and tympanometry require additional training. Mobile phone messages improve compliance for confirmatory audiometry, but the utility of SMS messaging alone is unclear in this population.

Risk factors for stillbirth and neonatal mortality among participants in Mobile WACh NEO pilot, a two-way SMS communication program in Kenya.

Globally, 2.5 million neonates die and 2 million more are stillborn each year; the vast majority occur where access to life-saving care is limited. High quality, feasible interventions are needed to reach, educate and empower pregnant women and new mothers to improve care-seeking behaviors. Mobile WACh (Mobile solutions for Women's and Children's health) NEO is a human-computer hybrid mobile health (mHealth) system that allows for two-way short message service (SMS) communication between women and healthcare workers during the peripartum period. We performed a secondary prospective cohort analysis of data from the Mobile WACh NEO pilot study to determine maternal characteristics associated with neonatal death and stillbirth and examine participant messaging associated with these events. Pregnant women were enrolled at two Kenyan public health clinics between 28-36 weeks gestation. They received personalized, educational, action-oriented SMS messages during pregnancy and through 14 weeks postpartum. Participants could message the study at any time and study nurses responded. Standardized questionnaires assessed participant characteristics at baseline and 14 weeks postpartum. Outcomes were ascertained at study visits or by SMS report. Among 798 pregnant women enrolled, median age was 24 years [IQR 21, 29], 37% were primiparous and 92% used SMS as a primary mode of communication. Seventeen neonatal deaths and 13 stillbirths occurred. Older maternal age was associated with increased risk of stillbirth [aRR 1.12 (CI 1.02-1.24), p <0.05]. We found no significant predictors of neonatal death. Participant messaging to study nurse about concerns in the week preceding death was less common prior to infant death after discharge home from facility birth (9%) than prior to stillbirth (23%). We found limited predictors of neonatal death and stillbirth, suggesting identifying women prenatally for targeted support may not be a feasible strategy. Scarce messaging from mothers whose neonates died may reflect difficulties identifying illness or rapid deterioration and needs to be better understood to design and test interventions for this high-risk period. Messaging prior to stillbirth, while at similar levels as other periods, does not appear to have an impact as most women do not experience identifiable signs or symptoms prior to the event.

Design and realization of low-cost solenoid valve remotely controlled, application in irrigation network

The remote and automated irrigation system of farmlands can avoid and minimize the waste of water and energy resources. This can be done with the remote-control of the solenoid-valves. A new solenoid-valve was designed and built from a simple valve with a motor and switches. The remote and automated irrigation system can monitor and receive requests via short message service (SMS) or web interface for controlling pump or solenoid-valves connected to the system. After each operation performed by the system, users receive notifications via SMS messages that contain the real-time status of the solenoid-valves controlled or temperature and humidity value. This system was created using Raspberry-Pi as the system control center. It has been connected to several sensors, and raspicam is used to take photo or video capture in real-time after the users’ request, and the global system mobile (GSM) module is a communication interface used to receive requests for controlling the irrigation system or to send notifications to users. A website is also developed for consultation and control of all that it contains in the system remotely. The result of this research aims to build a secure remote and automated irrigation system including low-cost solenoid-valve with Raspberry-Pi based on control and notification via SMS and web-page.

Developing a culturally tailored short message service (SMS) intervention for improving the uptake of cervical cancer screening among Ghanaian women in urban communities

BackgroundThere has been extensive research across the globe to understand the barriers and facilitators of cervical cancer (CC) screening. However, few studies have focused on how such information has been used to develop text messages for mHealth screening programs, especially in resource-poor countries. This study elicited information on barriers and facilitators, the preferences of women regarding the modalities for delivery of health SMS messages on screening for cervical cancer, and demonstrates how this information was used to create a health screening program among women in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.MethodsFour main activities were carried out, including (1) a total of five focus group discussions, (2) a baseline survey involving 62 female bankers and 68 women from the communities, (3) a stakeholder meeting involving experts in cervical cancer research and clinical care, and (4) pilot testing of the text messages. Focus group discussions and the baseline survey data were collected concurrently between February and May 2017 and the results were used to develop 5 specific communication objectives during the stakeholder engagements held in June 2017.ResultsIn all, 32 text messages were developed and pretested in July 2017(13 addressed knowledge on CC; 6 highlighted the importance of early detection; 5 allayed fear as a barrier to CC screening; 5 encouraged women to have time for their health, and 3 messages contained information on where to go for screening and the cost involved). Although awareness about the disease was high, knowledge of CC screening was low. For two-thirds of respondents (22/33), perceived lack of time, high cost, and fear (of cc, screening procedure, and potential for negative outcome) accounted for the reasons why respondents will not go for screening, while education on CC, especially from health workers and the mass media enabled uptake of CC screening.ConclusionSeveral factors prevent women from accessing screening services for CC, however, barriers such as low levels of education on CC, lack of time, and fear can be targeted in SMS messaging programs.

Automated Intraoperative Short Messaging Service Updates: Quality Improvement Initiative to Relieve Caregivers' Worries.

BackgroundUndergoing a surgical procedure is anxiety provoking for patients and their caregivers. During the intraoperative period, caregivers seek out informational updates from health care professionals, a situation complicated by COVID-19 health measures that require caregivers to wait outside the hospital. Short messaging service (SMS)-based communication that allows caregivers to follow their loved ones through surgery has shown promise in relieving anxiety and improving satisfaction with overall care. This form of communication is also well accepted by health care professionals and may be effective at relieving staff burden.ObjectiveHere, we describe a quality improvement initiative of a standardized and integrated intraoperative SMS-based system to improve communication between surgical teams and caregivers. The main goal was to improve satisfaction with care, while the secondary goal was to reduce caregiver anxiety.MethodsThe initiative followed the framework of the Model for Improvement. A large tertiary care hospital offered the SMS to caregivers who were waiting for loved ones undergoing surgery. SMS messages were integrated into the clinical information system software and sent at key points during the surgical journey to phone numbers provided by caregivers. A satisfaction survey was sent to caregivers 1 business day after surgery. Data were collected between February 16 and July 14, 2021.ResultsOf the 8129 surgeries scheduled, caregivers waiting for 6149 (75.6%) surgeries agreed to receive SMS messages. A total of 34,129 messages were sent. The satisfaction survey was completed by 2088 (34%) of the 6149 caregivers. Satisfaction with messages was high, with the majority of respondents reporting that the messages received were adequate (1476/2085, 70.8%), clear (1545/2077, 74.4%), informative (1488/2078, 71.6%), and met their needs (1234/2077, 59.4%). The overall satisfaction score was high (4.5 out of 5), and caregivers reported that receiving text messages resulted in a reduction in anxiety (score=8.2 out of 10). Technical errors were reported by 69 (3.3%) caregivers. Suggestions for improvements included having messages sent more often; providing greater patient details, including the patient’s health status; and the service being offered in other languages.ConclusionsThis digital health initiative provided SMS messages that were systematically sent to caregivers waiting for their loved ones undergoing surgery, just as COVID-19 restrictions began preventing waiting onsite. The messages were used across 15 surgical specialties and have since been implemented hospital-wide. Digital health care innovations have the capacity to improve family-centered communication; what patients and their families find useful and appreciate will ultimately determine their success.

Using A Customized SMS Program to Promote Colonoscopy Adherence and Support Bowel Cleanliness for Spanish-speaking Patients.

Low colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates among Hispanic and Latino patients result in advanced disease at the time of diagnosis and decreased survival chances. We performed a prospective study at an academic endoscopy center in Boston, Massachusetts from May 1, 2019 to January 31, 2020. We identified 887 Spanishspeaking patients as controls and enrolled 412 (59%) Spanish-speaking patients in a short message service (SMS) program for pre-procedure instructions. Intervention and control group participants were similar in age, sex, and indications. Patients receiving SMS messages were less likely to no-show or cancel last minute (OR=1.66, 95%CI=0.44-0.83, p=.002) and had more adequate bowel preparations compared with the control arm (OR=1.55, 95%CI=0.45-0.92, p=.01). Overall, 93% (117/126) of patients stated they would "highly recommend" the program to others. Our automated SMS reminders for colonoscopy preparation increased appointment adherence, bowel preparation quality, and showed good patient satisfaction among Spanish speakers.

Human-Wildlife Conflict Early Warning System Using the Internet of Things and Short Message Service

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is an important challenge to communities living in areas bordering wildlife game parks and reserves. It is more evident in the United Republic of Tanzania, whose economy depends on wildlife tourism. This paper proposes a low-cost and low-power early warning system using the Internet of Things (IoT) and Short Message Service (SMS) to support HWC respond teams in mitigating these challenges. The system comprises three primary units: sensing, processing, and alerting. The sensing unit consists of a Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor, a Global Positioning System (GPS), and a Raspberry Pi camera. The PIR sensor detects the proximity of the animal using the heat signature, GPS senses and records the current location, while the Raspberry Pi camera has the primary purpose of taking a picture after the PIR sensor detects the proximity of the animal. The processing unit with a Raspberry microcomputer performs data processing and image inferencing using the You Only Look Once (YOLO) algorithm. Last is the alerting unit, which includes a Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications module for sending SMS messages to the human-wildlife conflict response team and the nearer community response team leader whenever wild animals are spotted near the park’s border. The system detects, identifies, and reports the detected wild animals. The GPRS provides internet connectivity to support data collection, storage, and monitoring in the cloud.

Treatment initiation among tuberculosis patients: the role of short message service (SMS) technology and Ward-based outreach teams (WBOTs)

BackgroundIn South Africa, tuberculosis (TB) is a public health problem with treatment initiation failure rates varying between 14.9 and 25%. Lack of proper provider/patient communication on next steps after testing, not being aware that results are ready; and other competing priorities are some of the reasons for this failure. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of Short Message Service (SMS) technology and ward-based outreach teams (WBOTs) in improving TB treatment initiation. A 3-arm randomized controlled trial (Standard of care-SOC, SMS technology or WBOTs) was conducted between September 2018 and April 2020. Newly diagnosed TB patients randomly allocated to SMS and WBOTs groups were sent reminder messages (text message or paper slip respectively) that results were ready. Due to unforeseen challenges (financial and impact of the COVID 19 pandemic), implementation was only in two of the eight clinics planned.Results314 TB patients were assigned to one of three groups (SOC = 104, WBOTs = 105, and SMS = 105). Chi-square tests were used to compare proportions starting treatment (primary outcome). More patients in the SMS group (92/105; 88%) initiated treatment than in the SOC group (81/104; 78%), although this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.062). The time to treatment initiation was significantly shorter in the SMS group than in the SOC group (P < 0.001). The proportions of patients initiated on treatment in the WBOTs group (45/62; 73%) and in the SOC group (44/61; 72%) were similar (P = 0.956). The times to treatment initiation for these two groups were also similar. The 3 group analysis yielded similar proportions initiated on treatment (P = 0.048 for SMS/SOC comparison and P = 0.956 for WBOTs/SOC comparison) but analysis of times to treatment initiation yielded some variations.ConclusionReminder SMS messages sent to newly diagnosed TB patients improved the time to treatment initiation. Further research is required to show effect of the WBOTs intervention.Trial registrationRetrospectively registered with the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR202101914895981).The trial was registered with the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry on 25 January, 2021 (ref: PACTR202101914895981; https://pactr.samrc.ac.za). The registration was retrospective due to an oversight. Nevertheless, the protocol details outlined in our ethics application were strictly adhered to.

Developing theory-based text messages to support retention in clinical trials: A mixed methods approach

Background: Returning a trial questionnaire is a behaviour affected by a range of psychological and contextual factors. Previously tested Short Message Service (SMS) messages to prompt questionnaire return have not addressed these factors, and have not been characterised by established taxonomies of behaviour change techniques (BCTs). Purpose: We aimed to develop acceptable theory-based SMS messages, with fidelity to four BCTs, to support participant understanding of the consequences of not returning trial questionnaires. Methods and Results: We initially developed 32 messages. Ten behaviour change experts assessed message fidelity to the intended BCT (Study 1a). All messages had appropriate fidelity to the intended BCT (mean ratings = 6.8/10 [SD = 0.6) to 7.5/10 [SD = 0.3]). Study 1b, a focus group with five patient representatives, recommended removing the BCT ‘comparative imagining of future outcomes’ (4 messages), two further messages be removed, and amendments to five messages. In Study 1c, 60 breast cancer survivors rated all remaining 26 messages as acceptable (mean = 3.8/5 [SD = 1.2] to 4.3/5 [SD = 0.8]). Twelve behaviour change experts rated the fidelity of the 26 messages to intended BCTs (Study 1d); all messages had appropriate fidelity (mean ratings = 6.1/10 [SD = 2.4] to 6.9/10 [SD = 1.4]). Conclusions: In these studies, we developed 26 SMS messages that were acceptable to the intended recipients and had sufficient fidelity to the intended BCTs. This approach could be taken to design interventions supporting behaviours needed for the successful delivery of clinical trials. The messages are available to research teams who can evaluate them in Studies within Trials.

Development of e-stick for blind persons using IoT

Blind and disabled people suffer a loT to reach their destination, and there are many dangerous risks that disabled people must face. To avoid the inconvenience while walking, a smart electronic walking stick was proposed. This paper proposes a low-cost walking stick based on the latest technology, and a new implementation is intended to effectively interface with the blind. Basically, an ultrasonic sensor is implemented in a walking stick to detect obstacles in front of the blind or handicapped. If there is any obstacle, it will warn the blind person to avoid that obstacle and alert them in the form of a voice announcement. Every day in different ways to ensure people's flexible and safe movement. In this technology-driven world where people strive to live independently, this paper provides an inexpensive 3D ultrasonic stick for the blind to gain personal independence so the disabled can move from one place to another easily and safely. A portable stick is being designed and developed that detects the obstacles in the path of the blind using ultrasonic sensors. The voice alert is activated when any obstacle is detected. In addition, the flash drive is equipped with a system of Short Message Service (SMS) messages. The SMS system is used by the blind to send SMS messages to the numbers stored in the microcontroller in case of an emergency. This system has been successfully programmed with a voice announcement. Computer simulations are performed to evaluate system performance using Proteus software.

Evaluation of a two-way SMS messaging strategy to reduce neonatal mortality: rationale, design and methods of the Mobile WACh NEO randomised controlled trial in Kenya

IntroductionGlobally, approximately half of the estimated 6.3 million under-5 deaths occur in the neonatal period (within the first 28 days of life). Kenya ranks among countries with the highest number...

Protecting Android based applications from malware affected through SMS messages

Users use Android-based applications for communicating through emailing, text messaging, and transmission of audio and video objects. The attackers manipulate the email, text, videos, or audio so that users' receipt of the messages causes malware through their handheld devices. A runtime routine is invoked, which causes damage to the local resources of the mobile phone. The manipulation of the messages is done using different signatures, making it difficult to recognize the same using a single approach. Multiple approaches are sometimes required to detect different signature-based incoming messages. Choosing a method that suits the signature of the incoming message is the key. Malware can also enter at the time of installing third-party apps, clicking on the links provided in the messages, installing and invoking the malware in the background. Many issues are involved in dealing with malware detecting, prevention, and curing. A comprehensive architecture is required to deal with every aspect of dealing malware. In this paper, a comprehensive architecture is presented that considers malware's issue, especially concerning malware affected through short message service (SMS) messages operated under the Android operating system. The disection of the SMS messages have been implemented and 99% accuracy has been achieved.

Effects of call reminders, short message services (SMS) reminders, and SMS immunization facts on childhood routine vaccination timing and completion in Ilorin, Nigeria.

Reminders via mobile devices deployed as short message services (SMS) or calls have been identified to be a useful strategy in improving routine immunization uptake in several countries. To identify the timeliness of appointments with reminders (calls or SMS), SMS health education and the routine care, and the vaccination completion rates in Ilorin, Nigeria. Mother-infant pairs presenting for the first vaccination appointment were randomized into four (three interventions, one control) groups, each consisting of 140 participants. Intervention groups were reminders via calls (A), SMS reminders (B), immunization fact SMS messages (C) and controls on usual care (D). Reminders were made a day before the appointment while SMS immunization facts were sent at five weeks, nine weeks and eight months. Appropriate timing was defined as the scheduled visit ±3 days. The immunization completion rates after the nine months' visit were 99.2%, 99.3%, 97% and 90.4% for Groups A, B, C and D respectively. Compared with controls, Group A had the highest odds [AOR 8.78 (6.10, 12.63)] of presenting at an appropriate time, followed by Group B [AOR 2.56 (1.96, 3.35)], then Group C [AOR 2.44 (1.87, 3.18)]. Reminders/SMS immunization facts improve vaccination completion rates.

SMS messaging to improve retention and viral suppression in prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) programs in Kenya: A 3-arm randomized clinical trial.

Pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV (WLWH) need support for HIV and maternal child health (MCH) care, which could be provided using short message service (SMS). We compared 2-way (interactive) and 1-way SMS messaging to no SMS in a 3-arm randomized trial in 6 MCH clinics in Kenya. Messages were developed using the Health Belief Model and Social Cognitive Theory; HIV messages were integrated into an existing MCH SMS platform. Intervention participants received visit reminders and prespecified weekly SMS on antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and MCH, tailored to their characteristics and timing. Two-way participants could message nurses as needed. Clinic attendance, viral load (VL), and infant HIV results were abstracted from program records. Primary outcomes were viral nonsuppression (VL ≥1,000 c/ml), on-time clinic attendance, loss to follow-up from clinical care, and infant HIV-free survival. Among 824 pregnant women randomized between November 2015 and May 2017, median age was 27 years, gestational age was 24.3 weeks, and time since initiation of ART was 1.0 year. During follow-up to 2 years postpartum, 9.8% of 3,150 VL assessments and 19.6% of women were ever nonsuppressed, with no significant difference in 1-way versus control (11.2% versus 9.6%, adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 1.02 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67 to 1.54], p = 0.94) or 2-way versus control (8.5% versus 9.6%, aRR 0.80 [95% CI 0.52 to 1.23], p = 0.31). Median ART adherence and incident ART resistance did not significantly differ by arm. Overall, 88.9% (95% CI 76.5 to 95.7) of visits were on time, with no significant differences between arms (88.2% in control versus 88.6% in 1-way and 88.8% in 2-way). Incidence of infant HIV or death was 3.01/100 person-years (py), with no significant difference between arms; risk of infant HIV infection was 0.94%. Time to postpartum contraception was significantly shorter in the 2-way arm than control. Study limitations include limited ability to detect improvement due to high viral suppression and visit attendance and imperfect synchronization of SMS reminders to clinic visits. Integrated HIV/MCH messaging did not improve HIV outcomes but was associated with improved initiation of postpartum contraception. In programs where most women are virally suppressed, targeted SMS informed by VL data may improve effectiveness. Rigorous evaluation remains important to optimize mobile health (mHealth) interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02400671.

Digital Communication Biomarkers of Mood and Diagnosis in Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Healthy Control Populations.

Background: Remote monitoring and digital phenotyping harbor potential to aid clinical diagnosis, predict episode course and recognize early signs of mental health crises. Digital communication metrics, such as phone call and short message service (SMS) use may represent novel biomarkers of mood and diagnosis in Bipolar Disorder (BD) and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).Materials and Methods: BD (n = 17), BPD (n = 17) and Healthy Control (HC, n = 21) participants used a smartphone application which monitored phone calls and SMS messaging, alongside self-reported mood. Linear mixed-effects regression models were used to assess the association between digital communications and mood symptoms, mood state, trait-impulsivity, diagnosis and the interaction effect between mood and diagnosis.Results: Transdiagnostically, self-rated manic symptoms and manic state were positively associated with total and outgoing call frequency and cumulative total, incoming and outgoing call duration. Manic symptoms were also associated with total and outgoing SMS frequency. Transdiagnostic depressive symptoms were associated with increased mean incoming call duration. For the different diagnostic groups, BD was associated with increased total call frequency and BPD with increased total and outgoing SMS frequency and length compared to HC. Depression in BD, but not BPD, was associated with decreased total and outgoing call frequency, mean total and outgoing call duration and total and outgoing SMS frequency. Finally, trait-impulsivity was positively associated with total call frequency, total and outgoing SMS frequency and cumulative total and outgoing SMS length.Conclusion: These results identify a general increase in phone call and SMS communications associated with self-reported manic symptoms and a diagnosis-moderated decrease in communications associated with depression in BD, but not BPD, participants. These findings may inform the development of clinical tools to aid diagnosis and remote symptom monitoring, as well as informing understanding of differential psychopathologies in BD and BPD.

A weighted feature enhanced Hidden Markov Model for spam SMS filtering

Short message service (SMS) is a most favored communication service people use in daily life. However, this service is being misused by spammers. Rule based systems (RBS) and content based filtering (CBF) techniques have been developed to filter out spam messages. New rules can be easily added into RBS, but the throughput usually reduces as the rules increase. The bag-of-words (BoW) assumption based CBF techniques ignore the word order, which use machine learning methods to extract features from SMS message body according to word frequency and distribution. Striving to improve performance, researchers developed hybrid models that made algorithms ever-more complex. In addition, frequently conducting the time consuming models training and deployment forces the anti-spam industry still rely mainly on rule-based systems with unsolved throughput issue. A discrete Hidden Markov Model (HMM) was proposed in our previous study to address these issues, and the HMM method achieved a comparable performance to the deep learning methods. To further improve the performance of HMM method, we propose a new approach to weight and label words in SMS for formatting the observation sequence in HMM method. The weighted feature enhanced HMM achieves higher accuracy, and much faster training and filtering speed for meeting the anti-spam industry requirement. The performance comparison with other machine learning methods is conducted on the same open respiratory data set maintained by University of California, Irvine (UCI). Experimental results show that the weighted features enhanced HMM outperforms the LSTM (long short-term memory model) and close to CNN (convolutional neural network) in terms of classification accuracy. In addition, a Chinese SMS data set is used to further validate filtering accuracy and filtering speed.

Mobile Phone Automated Messaging Service’s and the Fulfilment of Planned Clinical Appointments: Lessons from an Ebola Clinical Study in Kambia District, Sierra Leone

Introduction: The Ebola vaccine Deployment, Acceptance, and Compliance (EBODAC) project was established to develop a communication and community engagement strategy, including the development of appropriate technology, to maximize Ebola vaccination impact in the targeted population both in support of clinical trials and in the broader vaccination program beyond the clinical trial. EBODAC supported the EBOVAC-Salone trial in Kambia district in Sierra Leone to ensure that the novel prime-boost vaccine regimen is well accepted and successfully used in the context of clinical trials; while also preparing to maximize the impact of the potential deployment of a future Ebola vaccination program. The Mobile Technology for Community Health (MOTECH) platform was utilized and customized to help ensure compliance with the prime-boost vaccination regimen. Its main role was to support the communications and reminders surrounding the Ebola vaccine trial through an automated message service to participants’ mobile phones as Interactive Voice Responses (IVR) and SMS (Short Message Service) messages. Methods: The study was cross-sectional and adopted qualitative and quantitative research methods. The design was constructed to provide a representation of different user segments. The sample size was not constructed to provide statistical differences or detect differences in impact among groups but was simply designed to provide insights into how study participants interacted with the technology. Eligibility criteria involved randomly selecting participants from those that: a) received IVR and SMS and didn’t miss an appointment (booster compliant), b) received IVR and SMS and missed an appointment (booster non-compliant), c) received no IVR and SMS and didn’t miss or missed an appointment (MOTECH non-user). Quantitative information was entered in well-designed data entry templates. All participants’ names were anonymized for data analysis. Results: All the respondents, (n=81) revealed liking both the IVRS and SMS messages and majority of these, 80.2% (n=65) reported that IVR was very easy to understand. Respondents 47.5% (n=45) were comfortable receiving IVR, as opposed to 35.8% (n=29) preferred both text and voice messages. It was also found that 74.1% (n=60) of the respondents who were sent visit reminder messages never missed clinic appointment and 81.5% of those that received information preferred to know how to protect themselves from the disease. Conclusion: The EBOVAC-Salone automated voice messages contributed to valuable learning about areas of improvement for the MOTECH that will be of great importance for future outbreaks and medical interventions.

On Term Weighting for Spam SMS Filtering

Due to rapid development of the technology, the usage of mobile telephones and short message services (SMS) have become widespread. Thus, the number of spam SMS messages has dramatically increased and the significance of identifying and filtering of suchlike messages raised. Moreover, since they have also risk to steal users’ personal information; the problem of identifying and filtering of Spam SMS messages stays popular in terms of also information and data security. In this study, the classification performances of five different term weighting methods on three different datasets containing SMS messages categorized as Spam and legitimate are compared by using two classifiers for corresponding problem. The results obtained showed that reasonable weighting of SMS contents plays an important role in identifying of spam SMS messages. On the other hand, it can be expressed that real classification potential of term weighting schemes reflected betterly the with feature vectors created by using fifty and higher number of terms on especially Turkish and English SMS message datasets. In addition, it has been observed that value ranges of the classification results of obtained from term weighting methods on Turkish SMS message dataset is wider for than ones obtained in English SMS message datasets.

ED to EPI: protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial of an SMS (text) messaging intervention to improve the transition from the emergency department to early psychosis intervention for young people with psychosis

IntroductionWhile nearly half of all new psychotic disorders are diagnosed in the emergency department (ED), most young people who present to the ED with psychosis do not receive timely follow-up...

The use of short message service (SMS) to reduce outpatient attendance in ophthalmic clinics during the coronavirus pandemic.

PurposeIn order to minimize the risk of transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many clinic appointments were postponed to lower patient attendance. Actively calling patients to postpone appointments is a labour-intensive process. We were the first ophthalmic clinics in Hong Kong to use short message service (SMS) to dispatch messages simultaneously to a large number of patients to offer postponement of appointments. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether SMS is an effective method to reduce outpatient attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis is an observational study reviewing data on SMS messages sent to all patients attending ophthalmology clinics of a tertiary eye centre in Hong Kong. All SMS were sent at least 5 days before the scheduled appointments. The text message included an enquiry hotline for postponement of appointments and offered drug refill. The study included data from February to April 2020. Two hundred patients were invited to take part in a questionnaire on satisfaction level and reason(s) for appointment rescheduling.ResultsDuring the study period, a total of 17,028 SMS were sent. The overall response rate was 23.6%. 14.3% postponed their appointments. This led to an overall 13.9% reduction of clinic attendance. The overall satisfaction was high (96%). The main reason for postponing appointment was worries about infection risk (93.1%).ConclusionSMS was an efficient and cost-effective flow-control method which was well accepted by patients and can reduce outpatient attendance. The time saved can potentially allow healthcare workers to conduct other infection control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.